What is blanching?

• A. Steaming
• B. Poaching
• C. Immersing food briefly in boiling water or steam, then shocking in ice water to stop cooking
• D. Roasting in dry heat in an oven

Answer: (C)

Blanching means briefly immersing food in boiling water or exposing it to steam, then immediately shocking it in ice water to stop the cooking process. This quick heat exposure only partial-cooks the item while denaturing surface enzymes, which helps preserve bright color, firm texture, and overall quality. The ice bath halts any further cooking so the food stays crisp-tender rather than softening.

This step is commonly used to prep vegetables for freezing, to brighten colors, or to loosen skins (like tomatoes or almonds). It’s different from steaming, which cooks with steam alone; from poaching, which cooks gently in simmering liquid; and from roasting, which uses dry heat in an oven.